Reviewshttp://www.theburghbaby.com/reviews/Thu, 20 Nov 2014 18:56:37 +0000en-USSquarespace V5 Site Server v5.13.281 (http://www.squarespace.com)Annie Is Just As Good Now As It Was 30 Years AgoburghbabyFri, 31 Oct 2014 15:28:42 +0000http://www.theburghbaby.com/reviews/2014/10/31/annie-is-just-as-good-now-as-it-was-30-years-ago.html509589:5831007:35087609Sponsored by Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

I didn't go to very many movies as a kid, but the few movies I did see in a theater stuck with me.

Like, REALLY stuck with me.

Summer 1982. After standing at the window to watch our dinner get made at Happy Joe's Pizza, we walked across to the movie place to see Annie.

I was 8 years old. I related to the lead character in ways that words can't express, and HOOBOY was I jealous of her happy ending. But what really stuck with me was a song.

That is seriously one of the best songs ever written.

I'm not the only one who found Annie to be an engaging movie worth watching over and over again. That much is evident if you take a look at its staying power. Alexis has seen the movie and LOVED it, nearly 30 years after I first saw it.

(Which, OMG. Where does time go?)

Not only has she seen the movie -- she has also had the pleasure of seeing the Broadway show. We've seen a few different versions of it in the past few years, but the best one is in town now. Thanks to the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, we were able to take a girl's night out and see it this week.

It was amazing.

There's something very magical about sharing an experience like that with your daughter. It's like you get to be an 8 year-old again as you see something familiar through new eyes. Alexis and I have been singing Hard Knock Life together ever since.

]]>http://www.theburghbaby.com/reviews/rss-comments-entry-35087609.xmlSo Then That Happened (And a Giveaway!)burghbabyWed, 24 Sep 2014 02:39:13 +0000http://www.theburghbaby.com/reviews/2014/9/23/so-then-that-happened-and-a-giveaway.html509589:5831007:35029330This post was sponsored by Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Please tell me you've read Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. We all have, right? Because it's one of those books that everyone reads at some point.

I haven't seen it yet since it won't be in theaters until October 10th, but I am super duper looking forward to taking Alexis. She has read the book and LOVED it, especially the part where Alexander gets all sorts of icked out when there is kissing on TV. She is completely on board with thinking kissing is icky right now, but she's on board with it in the way that causes her to fall over giggling as she yells "EWWWWWWW!"

I'm about to turn on the 24/7 Kissing Channel just so I can entertain myself watching her.

Speaking of entertainment fun, I have a giveaway to celebrate the release of the movie. See all that stuff in that photo up there? The poster, mug, alligator stress toy, highlighter, and reusable tote bag? You can win it! Just leave a comment on this post telling me about an annoying thing that ruined your morning and made you late for something. For example, if I were entering, I would tell you about the day that I tried to leave for work only to have Mila puke all over my shirt. While I was changing, she decided she had strong opinions about her own outfit and destroyed it as well. And then the dog escaped and chased after Alexis' school bus. Good times!

I will close comments and select a winner on Sunday, September 28th at noon Eastern. Good luck!

]]>http://www.theburghbaby.com/reviews/rss-comments-entry-35029330.xmlLevana Video Monitors RuleburghbabySat, 26 Jul 2014 14:18:00 +0000http://www.theburghbaby.com/reviews/2014/7/26/levana-video-monitors-rule.html509589:5831007:34949802There is a loooooooong list of things that people tell you that you need for a baby, but it's pretty much a lie. Fortunately, a wise person told me that before Alexis was born, so we never spent money on things like a wipes warmer, a "legit" changing table (a dresser with a pad on top works fine), a bottle sterilizer, and various other little things. Sure, some of them might come in handy once or twice, but they aren't a true need.

One thing I was wrong about needing with Alexis was a baby monitor. I was absolutely certain that was a "need" item, but our townhouse was a whopping 1200 square feet. If Tiny Alexis wanted someone's attention, she could get it by breathing loudly because we could hear everything no matter what part of the house we were in.

With Mila, I figured things would be different. Our current house is a lot bigger, so an inexpensive audio monitor went on the registry. I didn't think we would need anything fancier than that.

But.

But then we received a Levana Keera video monitor for review. I'll admit, I was planning to write a review basically saying video monitors are pointless and audio is enough. Don't spend your money! Blah, blah, blah!

I was wrong. I super duper love having a video monitor.

The reason is simple -- with a video monitor, I can find out when Mila is awake, but hasn't remembered that she is starving yet. That means I can get to her before she screams that it's been too long since she last ate. Preventing meltdowns is always a good thing.

Before I admit the other reason I love the video monitor, here are the pros and cons of the Levana Keera:

Pros:

It works in the dark.

I can pan/tilt the camera in case Mila moves.

The receiver works from a really good distance - I have tried it as far away as our neighbor's house and still had reception.

It works via a hidden wifi network, so it can't be detected by creepers and hacked.

It has a battery save mode that lets it last a long time. Basically, you have your choice -- you can have the video on all of the time (the battery lasted 5 hours that way) or you can have the video turn on only when the Keera detects noise. It's pretty sensitive, so I've found that if Mila starts kicking/shuffling around, that's enough to get the video to turn on. Thus, I see that she's starting to wake up before she figures out why.

It came with two cameras, so I don't have to move it around all of the time. It can be expanded to four cameras.

The little blue light in the photo above? That changes color based on how much noise the camera detects. If it's blue, all is quiet on the home front. If it's yellow, things are getting a little louder. Red means ZOMG THAT CHILD IS MAD. That means I can have the sound muted and still know how serious things are on the other end.

It came with rechargable batteries. Just plug it in from time-to-time, and you're good to go. There's also an alarm that lets you know the battery is low so it doesn't die without you knowing it.

It can record video and images. I haven't gone that far yet, but I'm looking forward to doing it.

I can talk through the monitor. It's not just that I can hear Mila, she can hear me as well, if I want her to.

It can play music.

The cons:

Sure, it can play music which is SUPER handy (way better than a wind up mobile that stops at the worst possible time), but it plays it in 15 second loops. It's maddening listening to the same 15 seconds of a lullaby over and over and over. I do it anyway because Mila genuinely seems to be soothed by it, though.

It didn't come with an instruction manual in the box. Rather, I had to go online to read it. I like the eco-friendliness of that, but it took me two weeks to actually go find it. In the interim, I mostly figured the monitor out, but there were definitely features I missed.

That's it. Those are the only things I don't like.

Now, for a confession.

My absolutely favorite thing about the monitor? I CAN USE IT TO HARASS THE CATS AND DOGS!

It's an ongoing hobby of mine, but I have already used the monitor to give Kiara a complex about getting up on the kitchen counters. I set up one of the cameras in the kitchen. I occasionally flip to that camera at night. If Kiara is on the counter, I yell at her through the monitor.

She can't figure out what's happening.

The Cat Who Thinks She Owns This House looks around wildly trying to figure out where I am, but only after she has jumped to the floor and scrambled for dear life.

It's so fun. For me.

Next I'm going to give the dogs a complex about getting into the trash cans. Weeeeee!

Thanks to Levana for sending the monitor for us to review. While the monitor was provided at no cost, the opinions expressed here are my own.

No orchestra. No elaborate sets. Want to jump on stage, visit the pub where the musical is set, buy a drink, and mingle with the cast? Go ahead, just make sure you do it before the show starts or during intermission.

The show weaves the tale of Guy and Girl (we never learn their real names) as they crash into each others lives and change them forever. Guy is a Hoover fixer and musician who begins the show heartbroken and in pieces as his girlfriend has moved to far away from his home and the setting of the show, Dublin. Girl is a Czech who has immigrated to Dublin and is instantly drawn to Guy’s haunting last song. She insists that it not be his last song.

She gets her way.

The Celtic folk rock music is a highlight of the entire show. While there is no orchestra, there are musicians on stage, integrated into the show itself. They play instruments like the banjo, guitar, violin, and other less traditional instruments in a way that breathes life into the background of the show. But then that background becomes the foreground as those same musicians are the supporting cast. The choreography that drives the transitions from background to foreground is masterful.

The chemistry between Guy and Girl is something even better. Guy is often awkward while Girl is often overly straightforward. It’s a combination that leaves the audience in stitches. The hilarity that is woven through the entire show is a perfect complement to the complexity that is Guy and Girl’s story. They could end up living a perfect romantic dream, but things aren’t quite that simple.

Will they live happily ever after? Maybe, but not in a way that you would imagine as you sit engrossed in the show.

Once is the rare musical that I could watch again and again and again. And again. Everything about it was unexpected yet fantastic. The music has already made its way onto my play list, the characters seem like friends who I’ve known for years, and the entire show has catapulted to the top of my list of favorite Broadway shows.

Once is in Pittsburgh through March 16th. Tickets are $29-$80 and available here.

It has been two years since Alexis and some friends piled into the car and ventured 100 miles to Cleveland for the I-X Indoor Amusement Park. That means it has been two years since the kid laughed herself silly on all sorts of spinny rides while enjoying the comfort of the balmy indoors. March isn't exactly hang-out-at-the-amusement-park material, so that indoor thing really is magical.

So is that whole spinny ride thing.

Obviously, I'm out when it comes to rides at the moment, but that's not going to stop me from taking Alexis back sometime between March 21 and April 20. It's a limited time event, but it's so fun getting to squeeze in some ride time before it's really time for summer carnivals and rides and did I mention the funnel cakes?

Funnel cakes, y'all.

That's where I'm going to be when we go. Hanging out by the funnel cake stand.

If you are interested in checking out the I-X Indoor Amusement Park, you're in luck. I have 4 general admissions tickets available to give away. Here's an explanation of what you can expect if you go:

A day of fun. . . a lifetime of memories! The I-X INDOOR AMUSEMENT PARK brings you 20 acres of fun - all indoors - at Cleveland's I-X Center March 21st through April 20th, 2014! Celebrating 25 Years, a grand opening weekend is planned March 21 – 23 which will be packed with games, prizes, a cheerleading competition PLUS Radio Disney Cleveland’s On The Road to the RDMAs Concert Event Featuring Before You Exit and Megan Nicole! Plus, throughout the show, enjoy over 100 rides and attractions. Soar through the air on the zipline, get your splash on with the water ride and watch live family entertainment including Roberto the Magnificent, Mutts Gone Nut, the ZuZu acrobats, and much more.

If you want to win the 4 general admission tickets, just leave a comment telling me which of those things you'd most like to see or enjoy. Just try not to rub it in TOO much that you get to ride the rides!

I'll draw a winner at random on March 14th. Winner will be notified by email, so be sure to leave an email address with your comment.

Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève was ballet stripped of the fanciful costumes, devoid of elaborate sets, and broken down in its simplest form. And, yet, there was a heavy dose of what felt like modern dance thrown in. If it's possible to have something be the opposite of Swan Lake, this was it.

A simple gray stage.

Clean white back-lighting.

A minimalistic black background.

Costumes so plain it sometimes was hard to tell if the dancers were wearing anything at all.

It was just about the music and dance. Nothing more.

The show was broken into two acts -- the first called Lux and the second Glory. Alexis and I both preferred Glory because it was more upbeat, cheerier, and faster paced. Alexis also would like to add that there were cheer stunts in Glory, but every time she says it, I remind her that ballet predates cheer.

Sometimes the kid needs a little history lesson, you know?

Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève was limited to just one show, but if it ever makes an appearance in Pittsburgh again, die-hard dance lovers should grab tickets. It was an incredible departure from the normal ballet theme, and proof that the Cultural Trust continues to bring great diversity to Pittsburgh stages.

What would you do if you received an email asking if you wanted to hang out at a candy store for a few hours? What if the email said you could sample all of the chocolate, if you wanted?

You'd run, right? Not walk. RUN. Get your butt there!

That's exactly what I did when See's Candies contacted me about the new store that recently opened at South Hills Village. OBVIOUSLY.

I made a rookie mistake on my way there, though. It was purposeful, but it was still a mistake. Instead of showing up for free samples in a state of absolute starvation, I went to dinner with a friend before I headed over.

Full bellies = less chocolate consumption.

Full bellies also = regret. So.

That didn't stop me from consuming all of the peanut butter things and all of the caramel things, btw. The Tiny Human just had to deal with some cramped quarters for a bit. I'm sure he or she will forgive me. Eventually.

ANYWAY. See's Candies. It opened in South Hills Village (lower level between Target and Sears) and YAHOOOOO! SO MUCH YUM. It's really hard to go wrong with chocolate, I know, but See's definitely goes right. I want to get to the part where I'm giving away a See's gift card, so let's just cheat and take some information from their web page that tells you why See's is different. And better.

For over 90 years See's Candies has been dedicated to making candy Mary See's way. Only the finest, freshest ingredients are used in making each recipe. We add no preservatives to our candy. Ever. It's quality you can taste in every piece. American made, famous for deliciousness, with the friendliest customer service - since 1921.

Today, you can choose from over 100 different candies and chocolates, whether you are shopping with us online or visiting one of our iconic black-and-white checkered shops (where every visitor still gets to try a piece, it's our treat).

Founded and headquartered in sunny California, See's Candies has expanded from one candy shop to over 200 shops across America, and a flourishing online store. Our growth happily continues. Our commitment to taste, quality, tradition and service steadfastly remains.

For what it's worth, you can taste the lack of preservatives. It's like the difference between a chocolate chip cookie you buy in the cracker/cookie aisle and homemade. One is most definitely fresher. And better.

So. Giveaway time. See's Candies has graciously offered to allow me to give away a $25 gift card to one lucky person. All you have to do to win is leave a comment telling me your favorite chocolate piece when you buy a box. I'm picking that one in the front up in that picture. It's AMAZING. It has a real name, but my unofficial (lazy) name is The Chocolate Thingy With Caramel and Nuts.

The winner will be drawn using Random.org and will be contacted via email. You have until midnight on 1/17 to enter. So ... go! Tell me your favorite chocolate!

]]>http://www.theburghbaby.com/reviews/rss-comments-entry-34568064.xmlSprite Cranberry Saves LivesburghbabyFri, 06 Dec 2013 03:07:00 +0000http://www.theburghbaby.com/reviews/2013/12/5/sprite-cranberry-saves-lives.html509589:5831007:34498419I am completely aware that 200 mg of caffeine is perfectly safe for tiny humans, but I still went cold turkey and gave up coffee, caffeinated sodas (it is NOT "pop," yinz!), and all of that stuff a few months ago.

Ponder that for a moment. I completely gave up caffeine and yet everyone is still alive and has their head and everything! I deserve a round of applause for THAT. For sure.

I had help, for the record.

Cranberry Sprite.

YES. FOR REAL.

So, it came out for the holidays and will be disappearing soon, which is pretty much a tragedy. It's Sprite with just enough cranberry to make it not quite so sweet and it is FANTASTIC. I love it so very much.

There's your answer as to how I'm suriving without caffeine. Sprite Cranberry. Truly.

Coca-Cola dropped off a few cases at my house and I burned through those in a millisecond, so I have bought it pretty much every time I've seen it in a store since. I need a stockpile, yo. And bad.

If you want to try it and you are local (Pittsburgh area), you are in luck. Coca-Cola gave some to me for a giveaway. If you want a 12-pack of Sprite Cranberry and a 12-pack of Sprite Zero Cranberry, leave a comment telling me your favorite Coke product. Four winners will be selected at random on 12/15.

Good luck!

]]>http://www.theburghbaby.com/reviews/rss-comments-entry-34498419.xmlThe Little Mermaid is Back (and a Giveaway!)burghbabyThu, 10 Oct 2013 00:25:00 +0000http://www.theburghbaby.com/reviews/2013/10/9/the-little-mermaid-is-back-and-a-giveaway.html509589:5831007:34333588Ever since The Little Mermaid was re-released on DVD and Blu-Ray, Alexis has been living the Ariel dream. Every day, twenty times a day, she asks to watch the movie. Again. And again.

It's pretty awesome.

There just aren't many Disney movies that rank as highly as The Little Mermaid. In the words of Alexis, "the whole entire thing is amazing." I guess that means she has forgiven Ursula for being just a tad bit scary. She has forgiven her so much that when she was trying to decide on a Halloween costume for this year, Ursula was actually one of her options.

It's not the one she went with, but still. It was in the list.

To celebrate the re-release of The Little Mermaid (it came out on October 1st!) on DVD, I have a copy of it to give away. Just leave me a comment saying your favorite character from the movie and you will be entered to win. Contest ends 10/15.

Now that we've had the Galaxy 2 tablet from Verizon Wireless for a while, we seem to have figured out what apps are good for the resident 7-year old and which ones are not. This is her Top Ten List of kid apps, along with my descriptions of each of the apps.

Minion Rush: Alexis ranked Minion Rush #1 and I'm not surprised. She still loves the silly game that involves helping the Minions from Despicable Me dodge obstacles. She particularly likes when she gets the unicorn power-up and gets to bounce around on a rainbow.

My Little Pony: I swear Alexis really did list this app. I mean, I would have without her, but whatever. SHE DID. It's your typical Farmville-esque app that involves placing stores, "harvesting" money, and completing challenges. The only con we've found to the game is that it is possible to max out on levels, which makes it harder to complete challenges and collect rubies.

How Stuff Works: This is a cool app that literally revolves around the idea "How does stuff work." Alexis likes to read all about random science-y stuff, and this app lets her do that.

Fruit Ninja: If you've never played Fruit Ninja, then I'm sorry. Go do it. It's good for the soul.

Grammaropolis: Grammaropolis reminds me of Schoolhouse Rock and that is a FANTASTIC thing. It teaches all sorts of grammar nerd stuff, but Alexis says it's also fun.

Math Bonanza: I'm a little suprirsed Alexis ranked grammar above math given her affinity for math, but here it is. This math app is your typical problem solving game stuff, but it allows Alexis to tailor her experience with the problems that she can answer, but that she still has to think to answer. The sweet spot, if you will.

Angry Birds: Obviously, Angry Birds belongs on any "best app" list. Alexis still prefers the original version, but Seasons is a close second.

Steamy Window: As silly as it sounds, Alexis loves playing with this. All it does is make the screen of the tablet looks steamy. It's sort of like the bathroom mirror after you take a shower. Once she has made the screen look steamy, she writes in the steam creating all sorts of fun patterns, messages, etc. So far she hasn't written 'redrum' so I am firmly in support of this seemingly pointless (but clearly fun) app.

Classic Simon: Remember Simon? The round board thing that had red, blue, green, and yellow lights? And how you had to watch Simon create a pattern of lights/sounds and then repeat it? That toy lives on with this game. Not surprisingly, Alexis is way better at remembering what Simon just said than I am, so she likes to play the game just so she can rub her superiority in my face. That's my girl!

Candy Crush: I've been addicted to this game for a long time, and now Alexis and the husband have both been drawn into the abyss. It's a simple matching style game (pretty much a rip-off of Bejeweled, I believe) and everybody gets sucked in if they start playing. Don't say I never warned you.

So, that's our Top Ten list of apps for tablets. It's subject to change at any given moment because it seems like I find new fun things every time I look around the Google Play.

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Moms Voices program and have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.